Lemanu Palepoi Sialegā Mauga (born January 1, 1949) is an American Samoan

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and the 8th

governor of American Samoa This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States. Since ...

since January 3, 2021. A member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, Mauga served as a

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in the

American Samoa Senate The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term. History American Samoa became a United ...

, where he became the chairman of both the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Early life and education

Mauga was born in

Nu'uuli, American Samoa Nu'uuli is a village on the central east coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located on a peninsula several miles up from Pago Pago International Airport. Nu’uuli is located between Pago Pago International Airport and Coconut Point. I ...

. After attending the American Samoa Community College, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The University of Hawaii at Mānoa (University of Hawaii—Mānoa, UH Mānoa, Hawai'i, or simply UH) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Manoa, Mānoa, a neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii. It ...

. He received a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit establ ...

from

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...

on July 30, 2012, a graduation ceremony held at the Governor

H. Rex Lee Hyrum Rex Lee (April 8, 1910 – July 26, 2001) was an American government employee and diplomat who was the last non-elected Governor of American Samoa. Lee served as governor from 1961 to 1967, and again briefly from 1977 to 1978. Governor Lee ...

Auditorium in American Samoa.

Career

Mauga served in the

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

for more than 20 years, including the

Persian Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

, before he retired with the rank of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

. Following his retirement, Mauga became the director of Army Instructions and continued to work with American Samoa's

JROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC -- commonly pronounced "JAY-rotsee") is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US military ...

. Mauga also became the chief property manager for the Government of American Samoa's office of property management. He became an American Samoan Senator in 2009.

Politics

In October 2011, gubernatorial candidate

Lolo Letalu Matalasi Moliga Lolo Letalu Matalasi (born August 12, 1947) is an American Samoan politician, educator, and businessman. He served as the 7th Governor of American Samoa, from 2013 to 2021. Early life and education Moliga was born in Taʻū, Manu'a, American ...

picked Mauga as his

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint Ticket (election), ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate ...

for

Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa The government of American Samoa consists of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the American Samoa Fono, which consists of an 18-member Senate and a 21-member House of Representatives. The first popular election for Governor and ...

in the forthcoming 2012 gubernatorial election on November 6, 2012. Mauga was Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa from 2013 to 2021. In the

2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election The 2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, coinciding with the 2020 United States presidential elections and other United States elections. Incumbent Governor of American Samoa Lolo Matalasi Moliga was not e ...

, Mauga and his running mate

Eleasalo Ale Eleasalo Va'alele "Salo" Ale is an American Samoan attorney serving as the 10th lieutenant governor of American Samoa. He previously served as Attorney General of American Samoa from 2014 to 2020. On January 13, 2020, Ale resigned as attorney gen ...

were elected governor and lieutenant governor respectively. Mauga assumed the office at January 2021.

References

External links

Official Biography
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Mauga, Lemanu Palepoi Sialega 21st-century American politicians American Samoa Democrats American Samoa Senators American Samoan politicians Democratic Party governors of American Samoa Governors of American Samoa Lieutenant Governors of American Samoa Living people People from Nu'uuli San Diego State University alumni United States Army officers United States Marines University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Year of birth uncertain